The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-12
FEE TOWN or GREENWOOD.
THE RESULT OF PLUCK, ENERGY, ENTER
PRISE, AND PUBLIC SPIRIT.

Growth OC the Commercial Centre
---Tac Building OF Her Eaiiroads,
and EZer Still Greater Projected
work OF IEnpraven, ent---The Busi-
! ness Mem and the Business Firms
Of the Atlanta OF hbbeviiie.
ITR. p. B. IN Auyussu Chronicle. undto 'chich is
| otlclctl a NOts or hcO by tie Editor " ihe
Press and Banner.
GEEgNwooD, S. c., Dec. 81.
A few weeks ago we promised to give q
sketch OF our town, her business men, &C.,
and with your permission will do so to-day.
While there are many who are not interest,"
ed, at least 10 any extent, in the growth Of the
place, there are letters received almost week
| ly relative to the amount Of business trans
acted here, and it is this that prompts US to
write the following:
GREESwooD's PROSPERITY AND GREEN
| WOODS GROWTH.
Greenwood is a healthy, thriving town To-
Gated on the Greenviilc and Columhll
and Augusta and Knoxville railroads, and
! while sue keeps up her reputation of old, as
| an educational centre. IN many other respects
she is making rapid strides toward being the
| Atlanta OF Curoiua-aS she has been called.
For many years before the war she was not
| ed all over the St'ite for her fine schools, and
| IL is with pride that she points to her McCow-
! ans, LipSc6mbS, WardlawS. TillrianS, Blooks,
| Judges TOInpkinS and Lester, and many 9th
| rrs who were tlainetl In her acauemieS. IhcSe
| schools were situated in what is now known
| as "Old Green wOod"-which in departed days
| WAS the town proper
However. when the railroads were built
past here MS II matter of course, the business
! rart Of town followed them, and rll the prin-
cip#l business Is done near the depot. where
! the streets OF the new town ;irc horderei by
| beautiful piles of brick, iron and plate glass.
| In all probability few people are aware that
! in 1850 the first secession meeting was held
| in old Greenwood, and as q result Il second
meeting was held soon afterwards in the
| Presbyterian chapel. then used as Il public
hall. At this meeting, among others VINO
took conSricuouS parts were Edward Noble,
! Thomas Thompson and ArmiSead Burt.
| members of the legal proiess!on, AMI men OF
No town in the State has figured moro con-
| coaSp;cuuuS.y in the history OF South Caro-
| lima Than Greenwood. Her citizens have ever
been publc spirited and patriotic. Her mer:
chants and professional men have ever sioHd
high among their fellows, and nave a,wafs
| received the respect and confidence OF the
whole propie.
The first great victory which was achieved
| by the embryo town and the future trade crn-
| ire of this whole up-country, WAS the running
of the Grocnvile and Columbia railroad with
| IN its borders Mainly through the libnra!ity,
| the sagaciiy, the wisdom, and tie indomitt-
| bic viii of the citizens Of this community was
| through Greenwood. The importance and
| significance of this achievement is better un-
| ders.pud when it is known that this Ill tvcr.
gence increased the length OF the road at least
thirty miles.
The railroad facilities of thirty-6ve years
ago did much for the place, but the worthy
snnS Of q noble ancestry were unwilling 70 be
| less putcrprisng or lees useful than their
| fathers who had set them such good eHan-
! pie
| In consequence, our citizens somo tnn years
| ago conc,.ived the idea of still further ad-
| vancins the business interests Of the place,
and thought to make due rcparaiinn 10 the
! town Of !.aurcnS Tor the loss which she had
| sustained by the pluck aud enterprise OF our
/ fathers in WrrSlin. from her the GrcenVcllc
and Coiun,b!a Railroad Horma thirtyiire years
ago With these laudablc ;cctS in view the
people Of Greenwood determined upon con
ncciInG the Town with the city of Augusta by
! iron rails. I'hc work was pushed forward
| against difficulties which seemed inSurmoEnt-
| ;.ulc, but they had elected General p Fl. Brad
! les president Of the enterprise which doubt,
| !ng ThOmaScS confidently predicted cruld
! never he accomplished The General, how
ever, pnsSeSScd too much of the Sc"trh-lr!sh
| tenacity and perseverance to be defeated. and,
sustained by Grrenwohd's st"adiast friendly
| iourh OF the elbow and her erpr-prcScnt ma
terial aid, he woull listen u no discourage
mrnts. hut worked eneIgetically to overcome
every obstacle, and The road, from an in"on-
reality. and it is now one OF the most superb
roads in the South. over which from six to ten
trains pass the town daily.
The construction of this road has greatly in
creased freight and transportation facilities.
and tD supply the demands of n Quickencd
commerca, new and elegant buildings have
zone up as If Gy magic, new men and much
capital from abroad have filled the spacious
structures from cellar TO :surrct with the fin
| est, the best, and the most substantial goods
! that the great Northern and Western markets
! afford.
! The low prices, the fair dealing merchants,
and the excellence of their goods have drawn
! trade from all sections OF Abbeville, Edge.
! field, Ncwbcrry and LaurcnS Counties. So
| marvellous has been the growth OF the busi.
ness of the town within the last few years
/ that houses and business firms sufficient to
supply the dcm;tnds upon the town could
scarcely be found.
that u most excellent local newspaper, the
Tribune, was established here several years
ago, aad It's advertising columns and sub%ci ir-
ton list attest the favor with which this ell
icrpri$e has met FROM both the public and the
business men OF the town.
The latest ana grandeSL enterprise however,
which this town has inauguated and set on
FOO, is the building OF the Che>; CT, Green wood
and AbheviIle ltailroad which is 10 reach
from Atlanta 10 Monroe and which will fur
nI>h one of the Very best roads that cross the
face Of the State OF South Carolina. Already
much of the preliminary work has been done
some of the townships along the line have
voted liberal SulIs"ri Itiuus, and in Other
places private subscriptions nave taken tho
are being secured. and steps are 10 be taken
at once looking tu a consolidation OF the char
tered line from Atlanta, Georgia, 10 Monroe
North Carolina. Greenwood viii vote Il taS
T OF SlSQr0 to the road, and nearly every land
owner over whose land the road will pass vii
give the right of way.
On railroads Greenwood stands highest Of
all the towns in the Stale. She first took the
Grccnvllc ana Columbia road from LuurenS
and then size set on io0ta movement gave to
her and To Laurrns Al other anh better road
iiut her crowning act will be tho building q
the GEORGIA. CarOinn and Northern Railroad.
With all these railroad facilities, and with
!, wealthy and cntrrpris,ng merchants " ho vii
, dare say what the possibilities of this town
may not be?
: OUR RAILROADS AID TIE MEN WHO Built
. THEM.
Before we refer to any OF the individual cit
iZcnS who are now in the pursuit OF their res
peciivc occupations II Elay not he a!llSs L
mention the names of Il few OF the public
iSpIriiCd citizens who have done 80 inucn fO
the development OF This important market
In about the year 1916 or 1877, pubiii
meetings were he'd here in the Interest "
the projected movement To divert the thei
. prop posed GrCcnvilr and Columbia ltaiirr;l'
from Iaurens to Abhcv;ile County. Thi'
movement was led by SUrh men as DIR. T.. X
Calhoun, Capt. Il. j.. Bird, Dr.. j. l.. Barrett
General James Gillian, W. y. BilHc. 30"
: smith. Dr. John Logan, \ bert Waller. Ailri
= Vance, l.. II. MvrriuIan, aud james Bailey
, in which movement th"y were heartily sup
ported by III" MnD!c people OF this section q
tEc country. Their active rM'rtS. tGg"ihc
r with The stock whicn IhcT and others sub
.lbbcviI.c County. Tn"ir efforts hc!n!
crowned with Succ.'$>, AMI the ears navii% ar
rivcl In town, Il grand jubilee ana ffti!nht
celebration WAS held aL thiS pace ON ih'
Fourth u! July, l'j2.
! This railroad served The town un.il The Au
guSta and Knoxville road WAS built Abuu